1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a high-level task force for examination reforms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a special task force for examination reforms , headed by renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani . In a video message, the Prime Minister said that this special task force will work on examination reforms. Based on its report, necessary steps will be taken soon to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations. He said that the country’s examination system should be trustworthy, transparent, and technology-based. This task force includes former IB Director Tapan Deka , former ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somnath , IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti , former Education Secretary Anita Karwal , and also includes logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena .
2 In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, PM Modi mentions Kashmir’s traditional ‘Wagu’ mat, praises Ghulam Hussain and Tanzila
Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed Kashmir’s traditional mat, the Wagu, on Sunday’s 136th episode of ” Mann Ki Baat . ” He praised Ghulam Hussain and his daughter from Srinagar for reviving this mat-making tradition . This is reflected in the efforts being made today to repurpose Kashmir’s traditional mat, the Wagu. It is made from reeds, paddy straw, and grass. . The tradition of making this mat is centuries old. Grass and reeds are harvested from Kashmir’s marshy areas. After drying them in the sun, they are sorted, and then the hand-weaving process begins. It takes two artisans approximately four days to make one mat. This mat is both unique and eco-friendly. A key feature is that it provides coolness in summer and warmth in winter.
UNESCO has added the World War II D -Day landing beaches in France , Mount Olympus in Greece , the ancient capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara in Japan , and the vast expansive natural area of Boma-Badingilo in South Sudan to its World Heritage List . The approval was given after a review of global nominations during a UNESCO committee meeting in Busan, South Korea. The newly listed sites recognize outstanding cultural and natural heritage.
The Andhra Pradesh government has launched a campaign called ” Uttarandra Kalalaku Rekkalu ” ahead of the inauguration of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram . Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the airport on August 1st . The campaign is being run in six districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh from July 25th to August 1st . The campaign is educating people about the benefits the airport will bring to the region’s development, tourism, and industry.
Young Indian squash player Anahat Singh has created history by winning the World Squash Junior Championship 2026. In the final, Anahat defeated Egypt’s Rukaiya Salem in straight games, 11-3, 11-7, and 11-9. With this victory, Anahat became the first Indian squash player to win a junior world title . She also ended the 16-year dominance of Egyptian players . Anahat performed brilliantly throughout the tournament, winning the title without losing a single game. Now, she has her sights set on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics , where squash will be included in the Olympic Games for the first time. In the men’s category, Asian Junior Champion Aryaveer Dewan was India’s best performer, reaching the last 16.
6 India’s weightlifting queen Mirabai Chanu won the country’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
India’s weightlifting queen, Mirabai Chanu, has won the country’s first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . She performed brilliantly with a record-breaking lift of 190 kg in the women’s 48 kg category . The 31-year-old weightlifter set new Commonwealth Games records by lifting 85 kg in the snatch and 105 kg in the clean and jerk. With this victory, she has won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, after winning gold in 2018 and 2022. India also won two silver medals in weightlifting. Chanambam Rishikant Singh finished second in the men’s 60 kg category, lifting a total of 264 kg and winning the silver medal. He equaled the Commonwealth Games record by lifting 121 kg in the snatch and then lifted 143 kg in the clean and jerk. Raja Muthupandi lifted a total of 286 kg in the men’s 65 kg category. , which included 126 kg in snatch and 160 kg in clean and jerk. Malaysia’s Muhammad Aznil Bin Bidin created a Games record by lifting 299 kg and won the gold medal. India’s medal tally now stands at four: one gold, two silver and one bronze. Para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar had opened the country’s account by winning a bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight category on the first day of the competition.
The Durand Cup football tournament begins in Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi, on July 26. . The first match of the tournament will be played at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium. This is the first time the Durand Cup tournament is being held in Jharkhand.
8 Indian sub-junior men’s hockey team wins FIH Youth Hockey-FIF Asian Championship title
The Indian sub-junior men’s team defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 in the final of the FIH Youth Hockey Fives Asian Championship in Muscat to win the title . Goals from Romit Pal (5th), captain Ketan Kushwaha (12th) and Shahrukh Ali (13th minute) helped India become Asian champions. In the women’s competition, the Indian sub-junior team won the silver medal after losing 2-4 in a close contest against China in the final.
9 Kargil Vijay Diwas
On July 26, 1999 , the Indian Army successfully completed Operation Vijay and re-hoisted the tricolor on all the important peaks of Kargil. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 to commemorate this historic victory . This day is a grateful nation’s emotional tribute to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the defense of the motherland and established an indelible example of patriotism, valor, and devotion to duty. The Kargil War occurred at a time when new hopes for peace and cooperation had emerged in India-Pakistan relations. In February 1999, then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Pakistan via the historic Delhi-Lahore bus service . This initiative aimed to restore trust, strengthen dialogue, and find a peaceful resolution to their disputes between the two nuclear-armed countries. During this period, the two countries signed the Lahore Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to peace and good neighborly relations . However, this trust was short-lived. The Pakistan Army, under the leadership of then-Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf, planned a covert infiltration into the Kargil region under Operation Badr . Pakistani troops crossed the Line of Control and captured strategic heights, escalating tensions between the two countries and ultimately leading to the Kargil War.